The Bansfield Benefice is the collective name for the Parishes of Cowlinge, Denston, Lidgate, Ousden, Stansfield, Stradishall and Wickhambrook in the Diocese of St Edmundbury and Ipswich, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The Bansfield Benefice is now in interregnum. [Interregnum Definition: "An interval between the periods of office of two incumbents in a parish."]

The Bansfield Benefice which consists of the churches of Cowlinge, Denston, Lidgate, Ousden, Stansfield, Stradishall and Wickhambrook went into Interregnum on the 26th December 2017 when Rev'd Brin Singleton moved on to his next post at Haughley with Wetherden and Stowupland.

What does the interregnum mean for us here in the Bansfield benefice? We will continue to have regular services in the benefice and Occasional Offices (baptisms, weddings and funerals). We will lose the midweek service in the benefice and reduce to one Holy Communion service on a Sunday which will be held on rotation throughout the benefice churches at 10am. Services will be taken by visiting clergy resident in the Diocese or by clergy beyond under special license from the Bishop. The same will apply to Occasional Offices.

During interregnum all the services can be found as usual on the website under Services.

For anyone wanting to contact us with regard to a religious matter or Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals please see our contact page for details.

We will all be working hard during interregnum to make it as short as possible but the whole process will probably take between six and twelve months.

Friday, December 1, 2017

So it’s about… ? Well the Christmas advertising campaigns are upon us again in our journey through Advent searching for that special Christmas gift or preparing for that best Christmas ever. The Cavalier Carver, The Mince Pie Maverick and the Double Dipper entice us to feast with Lidl. An elf racing through the snow to retrieve the misplaced present for Argos. Geoffrey the Giraffe helps Santa for Toys R Us. Kevin the carrot looks for love for ASDA’s Imaginarium Christmas workshop, M&S and Paddington Bear, Debenham’s and Cinderella. All trying to convince us of what they do best.

The Christian story holds that each of us is special, for we each bear God’s likeness. God’s purpose is fullness of life for each of us, that we should be our best ever. And to convince us of this God chose to live with us in one called Jesus God’s Son. You can hear the Church’s campaign at a church near you with help of our more usual cast of angels, shepherds and kings. Last year’s statistics revealed 2016 to be a record year for Christmas attendance at services in cathedrals, the highest figure since records began. A one year rise of 5%, meant that 131, 000 people came to cathedrals to worship last Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. These figures were echoed across parish services as the church embraced the challenge to do what we do best, tell the story of God’s love. The Christmas campaign is just the beginning, throughout the year Christians put God’s love into practice in providing tidings of comfort and joy to those who most need it, that all should know fullness of life.

A blessed and happy Christmas to you all, be assured of our warm welcome to you should you choose to share the Christmas story with us this year.